Fiorentina Director Claims Bruno Fernandes Will Join Real Madrid in €70m Move This Summer
Portugal international Bruno Fernandes will join Real Madrid in a €70m deal from Sporting CP this summer, according to Fiorentina's sporting director Daniele Pradé.
Los Blancos have only recently emerged as a destination for Fernandes after long-term suitors Manchester United missed the boat when the English transfer window closed earlier this month.
The 24-year-old isn't the only Sporting CP player who has been linked with a move away before September 2, but Fiorentina chief Pradé claims their rumoured move for Raphinha is over as the Portuguese club have already agreed to sell Fernandes in a €70m deal with Real Madrid.
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"Bruno Fernandes will go to Real Madrid for €70m," Pradé told Corriere dello Sport (via AS) after being quizzed on Fiorentina's interest in Raphinha.
That comment was also echoed when Fiorentina unveiled their most recent signing Dalbert on a season-long loan from Inter.
Fernandes, who has spent the last two years in Portugal after an unsuccessful spell in Italy, will become Real Madrid's eighth signing of the summer if he does complete a move to the Santiago Bernabéu.
His €70m price tag will make him the club's sixth most expensive player of all time.
Fernandes will also follow the likes of Cristiano Ronaldo and Luís Figo by becoming just the 10th Portuguese player to ever join Real Madrid, although forwards Carlitos and Edgar never played for the club before leaving in the late 1990s.
It had been suggested for some time that Real Madrid would make a late approach to sign Neymar from Paris Saint-Germain this summer, but the Brazil international has made it clear he only wants to return to Barcelona.
That deal looks like it could now be on the ropes after Paris Saint-Germain's sporting director squashed rumours of an agreement being in place, although talks will continue to find a solution this weekend.
